The Four Corners
by Tasogare no Raikou
Summary: Imagine, you find a ton of cash, realize your older brother's missing, and set off to find him while being hunted down by an elite group of hunters bent on killing you and offing your bro's vampire coven? Yeah. Riku's so not gonna be bored anymore. -Yaoi-
1. Ch 01: Storm

_**The Four Corners**_

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the Kingdom Hearts characters or any of the Final Fantasy characters. I'm just using them temporarily, and maybe throwing in a few charries of my own!

**Warnings**: Yaoi, language, violence, death…the usual. There's a bit of OOCness with certain people. -shrugs- I just did it because that's how they're supposed to act in this story.

**Spoilers**: If you have not played the KH or FF games then some of the characters may be spoilers. This fanfic does not follow the storyline of any of the games, but some of the characters' relationships might reflect their personalities in the games (some completely contradict themselves though; you'll just have to read and find out!).

**Pairings**: I'm not quite sure yet, I'll post them as I go!

**Plot**: Riku eyed the red-headed boy warily, searching the stranger's acid-green eyes. How did he know his older brother? "What do you know about Sephiroth?" Riku asked quietly. The other boy's eyes were piercing as he replied, "They've killed him, and now they're coming after you."

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Chapter One: Storm**_

The bell signifying the end of school had rung moments before. Students were chirping happily to one another, gathering books, bags, and coats before running out of the room to enjoy the start of their weekend. Listlessly, snow-white hair falling down his shoulders like silk, Riku sat and stared out the second-story windows, watching his fellow classmates spill out onto the school yard with boredom. He made no effort to move, chin planted firmly in his open palm, blue-green eyes watching the other teens gossiping and walking together with slight distaste. The same old sights and sounds accompanying the same beginning to every weekend, the same idiotic routine… Riku wondered vaguely, as he sighed and made himself get to his feet, if life was even worth waking up for anymore. Not that he questioned if it was worth living mind you, he liked being alive, he just didn't see the point in getting out of bed anymore. There was nothing new, nothing exciting, nothing worth going to school for, no reason to make friends. It was all for show; the grin he so effortlessly slapped across his face when someone talked to him, the fake interest when the teacher lectured in class. He didn't know why he bothered pretending to be pleasant when all he wanted to do was fade away inside. Grabbing his books and backpack he slung the satchel over his shoulder, walking towards the door as he pulled his eyes away from the window. There was no point, none at all. If only suicide sounded interesting, but then again, there was the whole liking to live thing. It's not like killing himself would solve anything either, he'd be just as bored floating around haunting people he supposed.

He brushed against someone's shoulder as he entered the hallway, looking over to see a red-headed boy with striking acid-green eyes who seemed to be watching him closely. Riku muttered a soft "excuse me" and walked on, counting the lines in the lockers he passed, the tiles on the floor, listening to meaningless banter frothing out of the mouths of the people he passed. Drama, problems, weekend plans; it was common and dull. He tuned out their whiny voices and pressed through the double doors leading out of the school, padding down stone steps leading past the flagpole and towards the parking lot before veering to the left and heading towards the soccer field. He had the fleeting sense of being followed but pushed it to the back of his mind. Who would bother following him? It's not like he was anyone worth stalking. The grass beneath his sneakers squished from the rain earlier that afternoon, small puddles formed around the soccer goals on either end of the field. He kicked a stray ball towards one absently, walking on, books held in one hand as the other held onto the strap of his backpack. He looked upwards, taking in the newly forming rain-clouds. With his luck it would start pouring before he got home.

As he reached the far side of the school's property and started walking through the woods, Riku glanced over his shoulder, slightly surprised to see the red-headed boy near the middle of the soccer field, playing with the errant ball he had kicked a few minutes before. He was dressed like an ordinary student, jeans and a black hoodie, and didn't even look up to see where Riku was going. Shrugging and turning to continue his coarse home the white-haired boy dismissed the other boy's presence. Riku wasn't being followed; he was merely being paranoid. Stepping over a fallen log and side-stepping several large, muddy puddles the boy continued through the small span of woods until he reached the park on the other side, feet taking their familiar path across the large expanse of grass and flora before reaching a tall gate on one side.

Squeezing through a small gap in the wrought-iron fence, the boy stealthily crossed through stranger's back-yards to reach the main road, watching for traffic before jogging across and making his way through several alleys. At one time, as he turned the corner between two tall brick buildings, he thought he heard footsteps behind him. When he turned to look no one was there. Shaking his head he crossed another smaller road and reached his apartment complex. Riku wondered as he pulled down the fire escape and climbed the wet, cold bars one-handed if his older brother was home.

Blue-green irises surveyed the shadowed interior of his apartment from the common room window before he pushed the broken latch and let himself inside, Riku stooping low and crawling under the swinging window with a much-practiced ease. Plopping his books down on the couch and letting his backpack slide off of his shoulder to the floor, he walked across the common room and living room, turning down a hallway and walking through the dark to his brother's room. The door was closed. The reached out a hand silently, twisting the knob and letting the door squeak open a crack. Sephiroth liked his privacy, but it had been more than a week since Riku had seen him, so maybe it was alright to snoop…

Hinges grinding together painfully as Riku pressed the door inward, he scanned the empty room to find it unsurprisingly devoid of his benefactor. His older brother worked god knew how many jobs just to keep them in a safe, nice neighborhood (even if the people across the hall yelled at one another constantly and sometimes the nearby passing trains shook them awake at night). It wasn't a home, that was for sure, but ever since their parents had died they hadn't really had one. Sephiroth took care of Riku, gave his little brother as much money as he could spare, and then disappeared for days at a time. The white-headed boy was used to it by now; it had been almost three years. His parents had been in an accident just before his thirteenth birthday and he and Sephiroth had moved out shortly after to move into the city. Sephiroth had told Riku it was to get away from all the memories, but Riku knew it had more to do with the fact that they couldn't afford to stay there no matter how many jobs Sephiroth worked. Their parents hadn't exactly left them with enough money to live a comfortable, well-kept lifestyle.

Sighing he closed the door to Sephiroth's bedroom quietly, glancing around just to make sure he hadn't been caught peeking, and walked back to the beginning of the hallway to his room. Seph was probably just working, Riku summarized. Maybe he had picked up another job while Riku had been at school sometime during the previous week. Crossing the dirty laundry littered carpet to fall limply into his tussled sheets; Riku groaned and sunk his head into his pillow. Alone, again, and there was absolutely no food in the house. Riku knew this even without getting up and searching through their small fridge, there hadn't been any food for the past two days. Reaching a hand to open the bottom drawer of his dresser from where he lay sprawled across the bed, the boy pulled it open and dug inside a moment before retrieving a small tin box. Not bothering to shut the drawer back again he pulled the tin to lie beside his cheek, the metal cool against his skin. How much money did he have left…enough to buy some bread and lunch meat for sure, but he was so in the mood for something other than a bologna sandwich. He lived off of sandwiches: PB&J, bologna, egg salad, ham and cheese… What about some fucking pizza? "Too expensive…" he heard himself mutter even as his stomach growled in disagreement. "I have to ration what I have left until Seph gets back…" He said, reaching down and pinching his side to quiet his gurgling bowels. Rolling over on his back and holding the small silver tin above him at arms length he let out a long, heavy, loud sigh. What the hell, why not. Sephiroth would probably be back sometime soon, he never left Riku for this long. If he remembered he had about twenty-five dollars stashed in his little square box; that would be enough to order something as long as he went to go pick it up.

Getting up to return to the kitchen, money-tin in hand, Riku padded down the hallway softly. When he reached the kitchen he turned and grabbed the phone off the wall, searching for the number of the pizza place amongst the tiny scribbles covering the notepad lying nearby. He found the number after a moment, dialed the number, and held the corded phone in the crook of his neck as he pried open the tin to make sure he really did have that twenty-five dollars and hadn't spent it on something he'd forgotten. Pulling apart the two squares right as someone picked up on the other end of the phone, Riku's eyes widened in shock. He pulled the phone from his shoulder and clicked it back into the wall-dock much harder than he would have normally, setting the tin down on the counter and pulling out a wad of money folded up inside. "What…is this…?" He unfolded the bills, amazed as he fanned them out like cards in his hands. There were dozens of them, and they were all hundreds. "When did Seph…" The confusion racing in his mind was overpowered by the ferocity of his beating heart. Fear was beginning to pound in his veins, digging through the other folds of money to see they too were hundreds, along with fifties and twenties. He kept pulling out wads of cash until he reached the bottom of the small square box, looking for a note, a letter, any sort of explanation for all of…this. He found nothing, standing and staring for a long while and the money in his hands, shaking slightly as he tried to still his racing heart. Sephiroth wouldn't leave Riku this much money, why would he? It wasn't like he was never going to see him again or anything…

Shoving the money back in the tin and clasping it shut he walked back to his room, going back to the drawer and digging through it just in case there had been a note on top of the box Riku had pushed aside before. Still he found nothing. Running a hand through his long white hair as he stared at the tin in his other hand, he closed his eyes and took in a few long, deep breaths. He had to find his brother. Something was definitely happening he didn't know about, something bad. He tossed the tin onto his bed, turning and diving into his closet, pulling out a big, empty black backpack from the back wall. It was older than the one he used for school but it was bigger, and Riku was planning on not returning until he found Sephiroth. Quickly putting himself to work packing clothes, bathroom necessities, a few books, his CD player and favorite CD's; Riku pushed the square tin to rest hidden within the middle of all his belongings. Satisfied with his packing job the boy grabbed a white and blue striped hoodie from the floor and took off back towards the common room. He slung his backpack down on the couch long enough to shrug into his hoodie, then grabbed the bag up again as he pulled up his hood and squeezed out the window onto the fire escape.

The clouds above him were rumbling forebodingly as he made his way down the ladders, water splashing up his jeans when landed in a puddle before starting to walk. He didn't know what was happening, but he had to find Sephiroth. Growling softly in frustration, he realized that if he had looked at the tin much sooner his chances of finding Seph would have been greater. With the older boy already missing for a week there were so many places he could be; somewhere in town or somewhere outside of the city's walls, into the mountains, forest, or towards the sea. Riku knew despite all the places Sephiroth could be he had to start with the basics and began walking towards downtown. He needed to check the jobs he was aware Sephiroth held just to make sure his brother wasn't there before heading out on a wild goose chase. Of course, he knew there must be more that just the jobs he knew about for Seph to have been able to leave Riku that much money. How long must he have been working to save that much? The white-haired boy hadn't counted, but it had to have been thousands of dollars. Fleeting thoughts of Sephiroth being a drug-dealer and running from the cops flitting through his mind were quickly disrupted when a flash of red caught his eye, turning to look down an alleyway he was passing questioningly. He could have sworn he saw that boy from earlier at school again, black hoodie accenting his bright hair and acid eyes. Riku continued on, scowling. There was no one there, again, nor should there be. It wasn't like Riku was in any sort of trouble or under any kind of suspicion. Then again, if Sephiroth was, maybe there really were people following after him…

Increasing his pace to a brisk walk Riku cut through several back-alleys, cutting around the corners of buildings ready for a fight, not sure if he really should be worried or not. He supposed it was better to be prepared than surprised and continued on warily, hands fisted tightly around the two straps across his shoulders. He walked for a while, making his way from the school-side of town to the busier, more upbeat downtown of the city, clouds finally clashing together as the rain started to fall and darken the skies. Hands in the pockets of his hoodie Riku wandered the sidewalks, looking for the factory he knew his brother worked at somewhere nearby. Where was it again? It should have been just around that last corner, but Riku had only been with Sephiroth once to this part of town. This part of the city was meaner, wilder, and much more dangerous. Someone brushing their hand across his shoulder caused Riku to turn around quickly, throwing up his arm in self-defense, only to have it caught in a strong hand. Blue-green irises widening in realization as they met burning acid-green, Riku pulled back his arm, saying defensively, "Why are you following me?"

The stranger searched Riku's eyes, the younger boy self-consciously shifting the weight of the backpack on his shoulders. This boy had neither admitted to following him nor denied it, but the way he was looking at Riku… "Your Sephiroth's little brother, aren't you." It was more of a statement than a question.

Riku eyed the red-headed boy warily, searching the stranger's acid-green eyes. How did he know his older brother? "What do you know about Sephiroth?" Riku asked quietly.

The other boy's eyes were piercing as he replied, "They've killed him, and now they're coming after you."

Blinking, mouth parting to say something but no words coming out, Riku stared at the other boy. Killed Sephiroth? Someone had killed his older brother, the only family he had left, the only thing that mattered to him at all anymore? Anger swelling up inside of him, the white-haired boy grabbed the taller, older boy's hoodie and pulled him in close, fists ripping the fabric slightly. "What the hell do you know about my brother? Why have you been following me?"

The boy just watched him, eyes flickering slightly with amusement at Riku's outburst. "I swore I'd follow our leader's orders, and his orders were to find you and keep you alive long enough to bring you back to him. We need to leave soon, they're getting closer. We don't have much time."

Baffled and still completely confused, Riku stepped back, releasing the boy and turning away dismissively. "I don't have time for this bullshit."

A strong grip clasping around his wrist and pulling him backwards made Riku yelp slightly and turn to face the stranger. "No, _I_ don't have time for this bullshit." The red-head said softly. "Either you come with us or you die, and since I've been instructed to keep you alive you really don't have a choice on the matter."

"Fuck you!" Riku shouted, rearing back his free hand to wipe that indignant look right off of the other boy's face.

Suddenly a blonde-haired girl landed next to Riku from somewhere above them, standing up from her crouch quickly and saying, "Axel, they're here, we have to move, now!"

The acid-eyed boy grit his teeth, Riku noticing his canines were much longer than any he'd ever seen before, the boy looking down at him determinedly. "We can talk about this later. Come with me."

Riku, fighting back slightly as the boy began to pull him along, exclaimed, "Who the hell's coming? What's going on?"

Thunder crashed above them as the rain started coming down harder, shouting echoing from the rooftops accompanied by the sound of metal clashing against metal. "They're here, Marluxia won't be able to fight all of them alone for long," the blonde girl said worriedly to Axel, her slate eyes glinting, "Gippal is with them."

Hissing lightly, Axel pulled Riku to where the boy was standing behind him, reaching into his dark hoodie and pulling out two small silver objects resembling saw-blades. "You can't be serious," Riku scoffed, the older boy looking over his shoulder at him, "Is this some kind of game you're all playing?"

"This is no game." The girl said icily, narrowing her eyes at him. "If you were anything like Sephiroth you would know we're putting our lives in danger to protect you and you'd show a little respect, brat."

"Larxene…" Axel said softly, almost as if in warning, the blonde baring her teeth and turning away, Riku catching another flash of fang-like canines before he gathered enough anger to shout back. Instead he bit his tongue, fists squeezed tightly around the straps of his backpack, listening to the thunder and the fighting taking place on the roofs above them. Axel, after a moment, whispered, "They must not know we're on the streets." The blonde turned to him, listening intently. "Larxene, go help Marluxia, I'm going to try to get him back to _Haven_ without making too much of a scene." He glanced at a passing car, and then across the street to where a mother and her children were huddled beneath a large umbrella waiting for a taxi-cab. "We cannot be seen."

The blonde girl nodded, jumping up into the darkness above them, Riku thinking to himself that under other circumstances she might have reminded him of a bunny-rabbit with those two stray strands of hair sticking up on either side of her head like that. She was in no way a bunny, not with those ice-cold eyes and spiteful words. How dare she talk to him about his brother like that? How the hell did she know anything about Sephiroth in the first place? "Axel," Riku said, the red-headed boy looking over at him, "How do you two know my brother?"

"This is taking too long!" Someone cursed from above them, calling out over the rooftops, "Squall, go look for the boy!"

"Axel, move!" Another male called over the thunder, "There's too many!"

The red-headed boy squeezed his fists tighter around the blades in his hands, the rings growing and seeming to glow an eerie red color, the boy calling back up into the rain, "I'm not leaving without you!"

Cursing, metal screeching as the melee continued, the other boy called back, "Go!"

Growling, the boy took a step away from Riku, drawing back his arm until it looked almost painful. Riku, looking on with a mix of amazement and horror, watched the steadily growing chakram levitate from Axel's fingertips and burst into flame before the older boy hurled it up towards the rooftops. The ring soared above them, the flames erupting into a flash of fiery light, illuminating the people sparring on the tops of the nearby buildings as sparks showered down upon them. Riku, blue-green eyes jumping from one figure to the next, spotted Larxene fighting another girl on the rooftops, jumping across the alley to another building as her wavy read-headed pursuer gave chase. Another boy was fighting two people at once, Riku figuring he must be Marluxia, his long russet hair whipping back and forth in the rain. The boy he was fending off had longish dark-blonde spikes; the girl with him had short light-brown hair with a long, thick hair-wrap in the back that almost reached her knees. She was fighting with a gun in either hand, he had a long-sword, and Marluxia had a long pole with a blade on the end resembling a scythe. Eyes flitting back to Larxene he noticed she was releasing a barrage of small throwing-daggers from her flailing fists, the red-head she was dueling holding a large cross-type shuriken. _This is like something out of a movie…_ Riku thought to himself, backing away slightly as Axel reached up and caught the flaming chakram boomeranging back towards them. The fire danced along his fingertips, the white-headed boy waiting for the other to make an exclamation about the heat or blow out the flames. Nothing happened. The taller boy simply watched the fighters above them until he realized something, whispered under his breath, "Where are Squall and Gippal…"

"Right here!" A voice shouted from behind Riku, the boy turning to see a blonde man running towards them, hair spiked up into a point and a patch over his right eye. Axel pushed Riku against the side of the building roughly, parrying the massive body-length gun the blonde was wielding with his two chakram, the older boy pushing the red-head back slightly.

Riku, panting and shaking, scrambled around the corner and into the alleyway, taking off at a run. He could immediately tell he was being followed, looking over his shoulder to see a boy following after him, carrying a long blade with a gun's cylinder-chamber mounted around the hilt. _A gunblade? You've _got_ to be kidding me…_ The younger boy darted ahead of him, the man's long chocolate-brown bangs waving past determined cobalt irises. As the boy turned a corner he heard a shot fire, the brick behind him shattering. Heart pounding as he continued to run, Riku wove his way through the city and back towards the park, cursing and hiding in a stretch of woods out of sight. Dropping his backpack off of his shoulders to slump against a tree, the boy cursed, "What the _hell_ was that?" He was shaking, adrenaline pumping through every fiber of his being, trying to calm his ragged breath. "Seph, how were you involved with those people…"

A figure crashing through the trees and dropping down beside him had Riku on his feet again, an arm reaching out and wrapping around his shoulders. Riku struggled to break free for a moment, but the arm around him pulled him backwards and secured him against someone's chest as if the younger boy weren't struggling at all. "Quiet." The figure whispered, Riku recognizing Axel's voice, turning to look over his shoulder at the taller boy with a scowl.

"You scared me to death! What the hell was that all about?" The younger boy spat, glaring up at the red-head.

"Quiet!" The boy ordered again, squeezing Riku back against him tightly, piercing eyes watching the open field just outside of their hiding spot like a hawk. Turning to look where Axel was staring, Riku watched as the gunblade-wielder walked along the far-side of the park, looking around for any sign of the younger boy. "That's Squall." Axel whispered before Riku could ask. "That one there is their leader, Gippal." He motioned slightly, careful not to brush against a single leaf as he did so; pointing out the blonde he had been fighting just before Riku had fled.

"The girl Larxene was fighting?" Riku asked softly.

"Cissnei;" Axel replied, "The other two were Tidus and Yuna."

Riku, shaking slightly in Axel's grasp, whispered, "That Squall guy, he almost shot me."

Axel narrowed his eyes glaring at the said man before looking down at Riku and rubbing his arm, almost comfortingly, "Are you alright?"

"I don't know." Riku replied; his voice breathy, feeling tears sting the corners of his eyes. These strangers who had tried to kill him, had they been the ones to kill his brother? At first he hadn't believed it, Sephiroth dead? It was impossible…but now, after seeing all of that and almost getting killed himself… "You really knew my brother?"

"Yeah…" Axel confirmed softly, "We all did. He was one of us."

Furry bubbling up inside of him, Riku had to fight to keep his voice low. "What are you, how did you know Sephiroth. The fire in your hands…" He looked up at Axel, anger flickering in his irises. "What are you?"

Acid-eyes seemed to widen with surprise before softening, a coy smile revealing a flash of his fangs. "You really don't know anything, do you?"

"How would I know anything about what the hell's going on here!" Riku shouted, Axel hissing and slapping his hand over Riku's mouth.

Cat-like eyes searching through the bramble for any sign they'd been heard, Axel scowled at the younger boy and said in an angry whisper, "You want to get killed, don't you!"

Glaring at Axel, Riku turned to see Larxene as the girl said, "He's nothing more than a brat, Axel. I don't know why we're even wasting our time." She was standing just outside of the clearing; Marluxia at her side collapsed into a panting mass onto the cold, wet grass. Glancing around her, Riku realized there was no sign of their attackers in the clearing of the park. The rain was pouring down fiercely, the two who had been fighting on the roof visibly soaked to the bone. The red-headed boy stepped away from Riku, walked through the trees to Larxene, and slapped her soundly across the face.

"You will not speak of or about the decisions our leader has made. You know better."

Holding her cheek as she glared at the boy before her, she hissed, "I don't care if he is Sephiroth's brother, he's nothing like him at all. What's Cloud expecting him to do, take over where Seph left off?"

A pang of loneliness shot through Riku when hearing the blonde girl referring to Sephiroth by the shorter derivation of his name. He had thought he was the only one Sephiroth had ever allowed to call him that. _They do know him, and they were close…_ Riku couldn't believe Axel had just slapped her, the blonde girl holding her cheek as she looked over at the younger boy cattily before turning away. Frustrated and feeling lost, Riku reached down and slung his backpack back over his shoulder, trying to figure out what to do. Mixed thoughts of Sephiroth being alive or dead, whether or not he could trust these strangers, who the people were that had tried to kill him, and where exactly it was that Axel was bent on taking him were surging within him. His mind racing, pulse pounding, felling dizzy and sick and confused all at once; it was too much for him to take. The white-haired boy didn't hesitate before he turned and took off running.

He ran for everything he had; ran through the woods back towards his school, ran through the flooding soccer field, ran through the rain and thunder and lightning until he thought his lungs would burst. Screaming, his emotions finally finding a release, he collapsed against the flagpole, shaking fiercely. Why was this happening? Why was Sephiroth involved with those people, and what _were_ they? The fighting, their speed, flames in Axel's hands… Covering his mouth to push back the bile rising in his throat he clung to the pole desperately, knuckles white from where he clutched the rope running up the metal. Let the lightning come and claim him, it would be better than having his mind ripped apart like this. Gritting his teeth he looked up at the sky, watching the clouds rolling together and the wind angling the rain into a hard slant. "Sephiroth!" Riku screamed, beating his fists on the flagpole desperately. Slumping to where he was crouched, forehead pressed to the cold, slick metal, Riku began to sob. Never the one to show his emotions, he couldn't bear the thought of being completely alone. Sephiroth had always been there for him, had taken care of him, put himself in danger to protect him, and now…

"Riku."

The voice was soft, comforting, but one the boy didn't recognize. Turning, Riku met eyes with a tall blonde boy who looked to be about Sephiroth's age, brilliant blue eyes watching the younger gently. His light blonde hair was spiked in perfect disarray, the wind blowing his bangs back and forth. "Who are you?" Riku asked coldly as he stood up, sliding the backpack off his shoulder, "Aren't you going to kill me?"

Blinking, the blonde boy narrowed his eyes, stepping towards him. "I'm here to protect you, not kill you. We need to get you back to _Haven_ before Gippal and the others find you again."

"I'm not going anywhere!" Riku shouted, throwing his hand out in anger. "Tell me what the hell is going on right now or I'm not going _anywhere_ with you freaks!"

"Freaks?" The boy scoffed, eyebrows arched in question. "Just because you don't understand what's happening or who the people are around you, do not presume you can talk to me in such a manner." His eyes seemed to glint red for a moment before returning to azure. "I told Sephiroth if anything happened to him I would find you and protect you. I keep my word."

"You're Cloud?" Riku asked, remembering Larxene's outburst. The older boy nodded, stepping closer again until he was standing right in front of Riku, the two searching one another's eyes. "Those people, the ones who are after me… Why are you fighting with them? Who are they?" He locked his gaze into the older boy's, unwavering. "Who are you?"

Cloud, eyes soft as he listened to the boy's words, replied, "They are an elite group of humans and witches who call themselves _Hunters_. They are slayers bent on killing us, or any other abnormality they deem a threat." At Riku's confused look Cloud hesitated, asking after a moment, "Sephiroth never told you anything about us?"

Riku shook his head, the chill of the rain soaking through his hoodie causing him to shiver from the cold. Watching Cloud, Riku realized the older boy was almost as wet as he was but wasn't shivering at all. His mind reeled, heart elevating slightly, looking up and catching the glint of red in his eyes again. Warily, Riku whispered, "What are you?"

Smiling sadly, as if telling a child the truth about a fairytale, Cloud replied, "We're vampires."

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HA! Was it what you were expecting? I was watching _Wanted_ and thought the beginning of this rather reflected my love for that movie, except it was the main character's brother instead of father. -shrugs- Maybe it's just me… -giggles-

So I've been wanting to write this for some time now, I have most of it written out in a notebook and am making it deeper as I go; it's the first time I've ever actually written down the story line before I start writing the actual fic, I usually just wing it. I haven't written the end yet and I'm not sure how long this will be, but I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do!

Keep reading! -thumbs up!- And if you haven't already check out _Forgotten Hearts_ which has finally been completed (victory dance) and my personal favorite fic of all time (unless this one ends up trumping it, lol) _Unseen Emotions_, which I have just posted chapter twelve for! Thanks so much for your support! I love reviews so please leave some feedback? -blows kisses-

The next chapter will be up soon!

-Myoukoneko (a.k.a. Tasogare no Raikou)


	2. Ch 02: Haven

_**The Four Corners**_

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the Kingdom Hearts characters or any of the Final Fantasy characters. I'm just using them temporarily, and maybe throwing in a few charries of my own!

**Warnings**: Yaoi, language, violence, death…the usual. There's a bit of OOCness with certain people. -shrugs- I just did it because that's how they're supposed to act in this story.

**Spoilers**: If you have not played the KH or FF games then some of the characters may be spoilers. This fanfic does not follow the storyline of any of the games, but some of the characters' relationships might reflect their personalities in the games (some completely contradict themselves though; you'll just have to read and find out!).

**Pairings**: Cloud/Sephiroth, (slight) Axel/Riku, Riku/Roxas (I think this is right, so far…)

**Plot**: Riku is an everyday student; same boring routine, same empty fridge, same never-at-home older brother. When Riku opens his usually near-empty money tin to order pizza and finds a small fortune, he sets out on a journey to find Sephiroth, knowing his brother would never leave him that much money unless something was about to go terribly wrong. The people he encounters on his journey leave his whole world shattered and reveal everything he knows to be true as a lie. Dreams he never believed existed coming to life before his eyes, Riku must decide which side he will take in what will soon become an all-out war between The Four Corners.

**Author's Note!**

Chapter two is here! Aren't you excited? Remember to review me…and I know you're waiting for the juicy yaoi but there's actually a story here too lol, be patient my fellow lemon-squeezers!

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_**Chapter Two: Haven**_

Riku blinked, disbelief evident across his face. "Vampires." Riku repeated, watching the blonde before him nod sincerely.

"Sephiroth was our Clan Leader, and my best friend." Their eyes met, Riku sensing the sadness in the older boy's words as Cloud continued. "Now that he is no longer able to lead us I have taken charge. We don't know exactly what has happened but we do know that the human's leader, Cid, was gravely wounded during the incident that killed Sephiroth. The humans have formed an alliance with the witches and are hunting us down, saying we are responsible for starting what may turn out to be a war." Azure eyes searched Riku's blue-green, Cloud adding, "The boy you saw fighting with Axel, Gippal; he is Cid's son."

"But if Sephiroth was killed during all of this, why are they hunting me?" Riku interjected, shaking his head, "Isn't it enough that they killed him without chasing after me?"

Watching Riku, Cloud said softly, "You're Seph's last blood-relative. If you die the blood-line dies with you."

"My brother's a vampire…" Riku whispered, confused and still shivering as he looked off into the distance dreamily.

Watching the small human react to the cold, Cloud said gently, "Come with me to _Haven_, we don't have to stand here talking in the rain."

"I don't trust you." Riku said softly, turning his gaze back to the vampire before him.

Cloud nodded. "That's okay."

"Cloud!" a peppy voice called, a small girl around Riku's age running up to them, her short black hair partially hidden by the large green and yellow hood of her hoodie.

The blonde boy looked over to her, smiling gently, "Are the others coming?"

"Already here."

Riku turned to look over his shoulder, Axel behind him, holding out the black backpack for the younger boy to take. A boy with ruffled dirty-blonde spikes was at his side, the long hair at the nape of his neck blowing slightly in the wind. "This is the kid?" The boy asked, Axel nodding to him.

"Riku." Cloud said, looking over at the blonde. "His name is Riku."

Laughing nervously, the boy nodded, "R-right! Riku!" He reached up and rubbed the back of his head. "I'm Demyx." He said to the white-headed boy, extending his hand.

Blinking, Riku just stared at him. "So you're all vampires, huh?"

Larxene snorted when Demyx pulled back his hand slowly, Riku turning to see she was standing near the dark-headed girl, Marluxia slightly behind her. Cloud cut his eyes in her direction and she immediately flustered, muttering an apology and turning away. The smaller girl met eyes with Riku as they flitted over her, smiling at him happily, dark brown eyes accenting her fair skin. "I'm Yuffie!" She said perkily, not bothering to offer her hand, but waving instead.

Riku nodded to her slightly in acknowledgement, watching Cloud warily. This boy held so much power; Axel had probably been doing Larxene a favor earlier by slapping her. If merely looking in her direction required the girl to apologize and turn away he couldn't imagine the kind of punishment she would have received if Cloud had heard her say what she had earlier. Apparently he was a big deal, being the Clan Leader's little brother and all. He took his bag from Axel and locked eyes with Cloud, finally replying, "Okay."

Cloud looked up, searching the skies, before saying softly, "We're heading back; scout out ahead, watch for the _Hunters_, and keep Riku safe at all costs."

The vampires around him nodded obediently. Axel and Demyx took off, racing across the far side of the school yard to the west, heading towards the city walls. Larxene and Marluxia fanned out and followed at a distance while Yuffie and Cloud walked with Riku, the blonde watching the young boy silently as he lead the way through the storm.

They made their way through the school grounds, through a small grove of trees and towards the west, moving away from the middle of the city and towards the massive gates separating New Town from Old Town. If Riku had been taught that the downtown areas of his city were bad, he had heard nothing but horror stories about the happenings outside of the city's gates. "You live in Old Town?" Riku asked, looking up at the taller boy at his side.

Yuffie, to his left, shook her head and giggled. "We live past the human city, far to the east past the fallen walls.

Riku stopped in his tracks, looking down at her in amazement. "You live in the forest?"

The small girl nodded, dark eyes dancing. "Are you afraid?"

Scoffing, Riku shifted his backpack to the other shoulder and continued on, Cloud watching the boy with a small smile across his lips. The humans had been taught from generation to generation to never venture past the walls. New Town was the safest; the furthest away from the tall, dark woodland covering a massive expanse as far as the eye could see to the east, pressing up against the base of the mountains to the north, and ending only in the south when the forest turned to the sands leading towards the distant ocean. The woods were unexplored, deemed dangerous, and posted off-limits to anyone in their right mind who didn't want to get lost forever. No one who was worth anything lived outside of New Town, but even the vagabonds and gutter trash who lived in Old Town wouldn't go near the fallen walls at the edge of the forest; they weren't that stupid. From ghost stories to distant howling at night, nothing bode well about the forest. So the humans stayed out. Cloud wouldn't be surprised if Riku were scared. Then again, he was Sephiroth's little brother, and that man was fearless.

They walked for along while, through streets and neighborhoods that gradually became smaller and spaced further apart. Then, looming high over the edge of the city, they came to the massive gates separating New Town and Old Town. Axel and Demyx were already waiting for them at one of the small side-doors, the dark-blonde haired boy holding the door open for Yuffie, Riku, and Cloud to pass. Looking around uneasily Riku realized none of the usual watchmen were present at the gate on either side. Patrols usually stationed themselves along the towering barrier to make sure no one got in…or out for that matter. As they walked down a debris-covered slope and onto the uneven, broken pavement of a once great highway, Riku looked back over his shoulder, wondering if he was doing the right thing. It's not as if he was leaving anything behind after all, but there was something about walking into the unknown that sent chills down his spine. The cold twisting knots in the pit of his stomach had nothing to do with the rain; it was something much darker, sinister even. Larxene and Marluxia followed after them, eyes and ears open, listening to the movements of gypsies and tramps shuffling in the garbage as if the storm raging above them wasn't taking place.

Ahead once again, Axel and Demyx were on the lookout, watching for any sudden movements, flexing out their minds to read any traces of abnormal energy other than their own. Axel, looking back when he sensed something powerful behind him, turned to lay eyes on Riku. The boy noticed the vampire's gaze and looked away, eyes scanning the horizon for the broken walls surrounding Old Town. _What's his deal…?_ He thought to himself, looking up and realizing Cloud was watching him as well. Scowling inwardly and looking ahead, he followed the two vampires leading them quietly, Yuffie humming merrily as they walked. They crossed Old Town relatively quickly and reached the broken outer walls, Riku stepping warily after the small girl when she climbed over a large chunk of stone and slid down the other side. "Come on, Riku! It's fun, see?"

Muttering curses under his breath he tumbled down after her, landing with an "oohf!" on the other side of the wall, feet sinking into the moss growing in the shadows of the rubble. Looking up from underneath his hood and following the trunk of the tallest tree he'd ever seen skyward, he stood for a moment in awe of the forest. It wasn't anything like he had imagined, it was mysterious and beautiful. Looking over at Cloud, who was ever-present at his side, Riku thought to himself that if they really were what they said they were the forest made a fitting home for them. It was dark, secluded, and off-limits to humans…but then again if they were vampires, didn't they need humans to survive? Deciding now was not the right time to ask a series of "blood-drinking" questions, Riku continued on, catching glimpses of Axel's fire-red hair ahead of them in the deep green shadows as they followed after him and Demyx. Riku didn't know how long they walked but he could tell it had been quite a while when they finally reached a clearing in the middle of the woods. The sky above them had finally begun to loose it's prowess as the clouds parted and the rain pelting down started deadened to a light shower. The sky past the clouds reflected the sunset, golden hues of orange and yellow mixing with the steadily increasing blue-black of the night and creating pinks in the middle.

Larxene and Marluxia walked up from behind them, Cloud turning to smile at them welcomingly. "Nothing behind us, everything should be all-clear from here out." The russet-haired boy said, looking over at Larxene who nodded in agreement.

"Good," Cloud replied, "let's continue on then."

Riku, following the blonde boy with his eyes as he walked past him and back into the woods, sighed and plopped his backpack down near his feet. "You've got to be kidding me."

The older boy turned back to look at him, smiling gently. "It's not much further, come."

Riku scowled after the boy as he continued on, Yuffie turning to look back at Riku with a giggle, then walking after her leader. Larxene walked past Riku coldly, not bothering to even look in his direction as she followed the vampires before her. The white-headed boy pulled his hood up a bit further so it almost completely covered his face, glaring after her. What was her problem? Was she threatened by him or something? He was a human…she was a vampire…she could like, eat him or whatever, so how could he possibly be a threat to her?

Shaking his head and reaching down for his backpack, Riku looked down in surprise to see it wasn't there. Turning, blue-green eyes met indigo, Marluxia smiling at the younger boy apologetically with Riku's bag over his shoulder. "She's more upset about this than she's willing to admit. Seeing you, it's like looking at Sephiroth, it's a constant reminder that he's not with us anymore." The boy walked past Riku, beckoning him to follow, the human trailing after the vampire as he let that sink in.

Cloud, true to his word, had been right about _Haven_ not being too much further. Squeezing through a peculiarly dense ring of tree-trunks and out into a massive clearing Riku set eyes on a giant mansion. It was standing near the back of the clearing, which had to have been several acres, a small pond to the south reflecting the sunset along its surface. Cloud was standing near the front doors of the mansion, waiting for Riku. Axel, Demyx, Yuffie, and Larxene were nowhere in sight, having already retreated indoors and out of the softly falling rain. Marluxia and Riku walked side by side across the long grass, the russet-haired boy walking past Cloud and inside with a slight nod, taking Riku's backpack with him.

The human and the blonde vampire searched one another's eyes; Riku wary, Cloud smiling softy with his bright blue eyes. "You have nothing to fear." The older boy said softly, "I would never let any harm come to you."

Slightly unnerved but putting up a strong front, Riku walked past Cloud into the dimly lit foyer of the mansion, pushing his hood off of his head so he could see better. Cloud shut the large metal-bound wooden doors behind them, turning to watch the younger boy's blue-green eyes surveying the tall, looming room. Slowly, the blonde reached over and brushed his hand along Riku's shoulder, the younger boy looking back at him with distrust in his eyes.

Smiling, almost sadly, the older boy withdrew his hand and stepped past him, saying as he walked down a dark hallway, "I'll leave you for a while. If you need anything call for me, I'll be in the library."

Marluxia was standing against a nearby wall, waiting to see if Riku needed anything. "Do you want me to show you around?"

"I'll do it," Axel said, stepping out of the shadows, "The girls want you in the garden, the flowers are drowning."

Marluxia, tisking to himself, replied, "Very well then…" He looked over at Riku, smiling apologetically once again, and handed him his bag. "Don't let Axel scare you, he's a big softie once you get to know him."

"Get the hell out of here." The red-head barked, sighing and glowering as the other vampire walked slowly down the hall with a smile and slight giggle. Waiting until Marluxia was far gone; Axel looked over at Riku and crossed his arms over his chest. "Let's go find you a room, shall we?"

The younger boy followed Axel with his eyes carefully, following the red-head back down the shadowed hallway he had come from and through a series of small, dark rooms before reaching light. Stepping into a wide, well-lit room with a flowing towered fountain in the middle, Riku's eyes went wide. The roof was a glass dome, the paneled glass embroidered in gold and silver, rain showering down from the evening sky and flowing down the stained glass windows beneath the dome. "This is amazing…" Riku heard himself whisper, Axel looking over at him with a smirk.

"You'll get used to it." The human, looking over at the vampire questioningly, followed after the older boy as he passed the fountain and began up a staircase along the non-glass side of the room. "The girls will decide to re-vamp something and fix different rooms in _Haven_ on a whim." He gestured down at the fountain and orb-lights mounted on the wall while Riku tried not to comment on the "vamp" pun. "Most of the bedrooms are fixed now but the front of the house needs a bit of work. We're still deciding whether or not we should fix it, it might be safer to leave it in ruins."

"Safer?" Riku asked, reaching the top of the stairs and realizing this part of the mansion was lit too, the walls a creamy white and the top and cherry-red at the bottom, the hardwood floors stained with a cherry finish. More orb-shaped lights hung on the walls between dark-colored doors. Bedrooms, Riku supposed. Axel hesitated before a door near the middle of the hall, thinking to himself, but then continued on. The younger boy noticed, asking, "Whose room is that?"

Axel halted his next step, turning to look back at Riku. "It was your brother's."

Eyes widening, Riku looked over at the door. Silver, curving handle, dark red-black grains swirling through deep cherry wood… Letting out a small, hurt laugh, the younger boy reached out and touched the doorknob, turning it and letting the door open soundlessly. No wonder his brother never bothered coming home, why would he when he had everything he wanted here? Expecting to find a room donned with a canopy bed, feather-pillows atop lavish chairs, and fancy paintings on the wall, Riku was startled to find this room resembled nothing like that at all. In fact, if anything it was a reflection of the room at their apartment, with the small exception of the dresser and bed-posts being carved out of something resembling white-oak. Floor-length creamy curtains were draped across a large glass door beside the head of his bed, leading out onto a drenched veranda overlooking the forest surrounding the mansion. It was much simpler than it could have been, and seemed rather unused. Maybe Sephiroth really did spend as much time at home with Riku as he possibly could. It didn't look like he slept here either.

Fleetingly looking around for any signs of a hidden coffin, Riku backed out of the room and shut the door, turning to see Axel was waiting on him patiently. The taller boy was leaning against the wall right before an open door, moving his head to the side in indication that this was Riku's new dwelling. "See if you like it." The boy said when the human stepped closer, Riku peeking his head inside as the vampire watched him in slight amusement, fangs peeking out over his bottom lip. The human walked into the dimly-lit room, this bedroom was nothing like Sephiroth's. The bed was in a different position, long-ways across the back wall. A large oval mirror was mounted on the right wall, a short fat dresser underneath it, his backpack plopped on top of it. On the left wall there was an opaque glass door, the younger boy opening it and looking inside. It was an elaborate bathroom, complete with a shower/tub, long marble vanity, and a wall-length mirror. Turning when he heard Axel behind him Riku jolted slightly, heart pounding, piercing acid-green eyes freezing him to the spot. Grinning, flashing his canines, the vampire said jokingly, "Scared of me, aren't you?"

Riku scowled, turning away, "I'm not exactly used to being around people like you."

When feeling a pair of hands at his waist and lips on his neck, Riku thought his heart would stop. The boy behind him had drawn him against his chest so quickly the human hadn't realized it had happened. Pulse pounding in his ears, the vampire's breath hot against his neck, Axel whispered, "Are you sure you're not just scared?"

"I-I…" Riku stammered, trying hard to swallow, a cold chill running down his spine causing him to shiver against the boy behind him.

Chuckling softly, Axel moved away, saying as he reached the door, "Make sure you change out of those wet clothes. You'll catch a cold."

Stunned, Riku watched the other boy close the door on his way out, reaching up to touch where Axel's lips had so fleetingly brushed his nape. Blushing lightly, and then scowling, Riku kicked off his shoes and pulled his hoodie over his head, damp shirt coming off along with it. Sighing to calm his racing nerves he took his long hair in his hands, pulling it forward over his left shoulder and walking off towards the bathroom to get a towel. Drying his hair, then shrugging out of the rest of his clothes before changing into something dry, he walked barefoot across the plush carpet to the dressed. Digging through the depths of his backpack, fingertips brushing his tin to reassure himself it was indeed still there, the boy let out a soft sigh. There were so many questions racing through his mind, and though he wanted answers he also wanted more than anything to be alone for a while. When the others were around he couldn't think straight. Black and green striped long-sleeved t-shirt accenting his white hair, Riku sat on the edge of the bed and pulled on dry socks and his slightly damp shoes. His legs were long and lithe beneath the bleached jeans he was wearing, nimble fingers pulling the fabric of his jeans down over his sneakers before standing up and walking towards the door. He stood there for a long time, looking down at the handle of the door uncertainly, taking his time before finally finding his nerve and letting himself out into the hallway.

Darkness greeted him. Blinking, Riku took a step out into the hallway, gasping when the lights nearest to him clicked on and illuminated his path. "Motion detectors." The human said to himself, "That's an interesting touch." He wandered the length of the corridor, fingertips brushing along the walls absently, taking in his surroundings. Reaching the end of the hall he entered a large dark room, cathedral-ceiling causing his footsteps to echo eerily against the wooden floor. _A ballroom?_

"What are you doing here?"

Riku turned around quickly, looking up to see a woman standing behind him, a hand on her hip as her eyes burned red. "I was just…" The boy stammered, backing away from her a step. She was so intimidating, black hair swept up in a series of feathered locks, lips pursed, her entire figure donned in black. If any of the people he had met tonight were indeed vampires he had no trouble at all believe she was one. Her eloquent, cold demeanor radiated power. "I was looking around…"

Red eyes flickering, the woman dropped her hand to her side, noticing the way Riku's hair was shining in the low light. "White hair?"

Blinking, the human reached up unconsciously and touched the locks falling across his shoulder, asking, "What about it?"

Smiling, chuckling under her breath, she said in recognition, "You're Riku, Sephiroth's brother. I'm sorry; I'm not used to your aura."

_She's apologizing to me?_ "N-no problem." Riku replied, nervous laugh choking from his throat.

She opened her mouth to say something but a sudden look of horror crossed her face, turning her head to the side as if listening to something from down the hall. "Come with me!" She ordered, grabbing his forearm and taking off at a run that made everything they passed blur into a mass of dimly lit color. When they reached the dome-room the woman pointed towards the stairs, "Go down there and press the panel at the bottom of the stairs, hurry!"

Riku, confused but too scared to argue, followed her instructions. The woman stood for a long time at the top of the stairs, listening and looking through the many glass windows donning the room. Beneath the human's footsteps and the trickling of the water in the fountain she could hear something, voices. Something wasn't right. They were coming.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs to quickly he ran into the wall slightly, the boy turned and pressed against a panel sticking slightly out of the wall; if she had not told him to look for it he would never have realized it was there. "What now?" Riku asked, pulling at the corners and pushing down, trying to get it to move.

"You can't open it?" she called down to him.

"No!" Riku called back, looking to the top of the stairs just in time to see her jump from the tall platform to the top of the fountain, gasping lighting as she fell. She lit on top of the fountain lightly, looking down into the middle of the water and thrusting her boot-clad heel down hard, something clicking. The panel next to Riku swung open, nearly slapping him across the face. By the time he had turned to look at it in amazement the woman already had his arm again and was dragging him through the pitch black, the hidden door swinging back shut behind them and cutting out all the light. Breath slightly ragged, his heart pounding, Riku wondered vaguely what was happening that would have her reacting this wildly. Her red eyes shone like rubies in the dark as she turned back to look at him, searching his eyes as clearly as if they had been standing in broad daylight. "What's going on?" Riku whispered to her and they halted their movements, standing completely still and silent, listening as the sound of running footsteps echoed towards them.

"Yuffie!" The woman hissed, the footsteps halting abruptly in front of them.

Panting as softly as she could, the small girl said, "I was coming to get him; did you sense it too?"

"Where is Cloud." The woman stated; not a question but an order to respond.

The girl shook her head, red flickering in her brown eyes. "I don't know Paine, the boys are outside already trying to stop them from reaching us. We don't know how many there are, but they have a witch with them." Her eyes glinted. "A powerful one."

Riku looked up to the older girl at his side, watching her eyes for any sign of what she might be thinking. _Paine_… Riku stored the name mentally. Cloud had said something earlier about the humans and witches teaming up to fight the vampires, but a powerful witch? What did that mean? More powerful than a vampire? "We need to get Riku somewhere safe, we won't be able to stay here."

Yuffie nodded. "You go find Cloud, I'll run with him somewhere and hide."

Paine took off, calling over her shoulder, "Stay hidden until we come to find you, do not come back here."

"I know!" the younger girl called back, looking over at Riku and taking his hand. "Let's go this way." Riku couldn't really protest, he couldn't see where they were or where they were going. If she hadn't been leading him he would have stayed there, lost in the dark. He was content to follow after her, her vampire eyes easily guiding their way through the rooms. The human could hear something ahead of them through the walls, shouting and mixed sounds of a fight. They must be close to the outside of the house. Leading them through another room in the opposite direction Yuffie released Riku's hand and left him standing in the dark for a moment, walking across the room and pulling back a long, thick velvet curtain to let in the moonlight. Riku, now able to see, walked over to her as she watched the events happening outside. "Gippal's not with them, why are they here…" She let out a small sigh, turned to look at Riku and flashing him a smile while saying, "You ready for a run?"

"I don't know," Riku replied, brow furrowed as he caught glimpses of figures moving beneath the moonlight. "Wouldn't it be safer to stay inside if the people who are trying to kill me are outside?"

Shaking her head, short black hair bouncing back and forth across her cheeks, the vampire replied, "The house is the first place they'll look, and they will know all the places we would hid someone like you…"

"How could they know something like that?" Riku asked, searching the girls eyes.

A strange light flickering in her irises turning her rich mahogany to lipstick red, Yuffie said softly, "They have their resources." Confused but knowing not to press the question right now, the human watched the little vampire pull out one of the tall squares of glass out of the window and make a space they could easily climb through to get outside. Sitting the pane down gently Yuffie crawled through, playing lookout while Riku did the same after her. They ran from the mansion into the beginning of the woods behind the house, hiding and waiting. Anxiously shaking her leg, the vampire listened to the sounds of the fight, the human wondering just exactly what was happening. Riku watched her, judging from the looks crossing her face how well the fight was doing, until suddenly the girl raced off while calling, "Don't go anywhere, I'll be right back!"

"Wait a minute!" the boy called after her, but she had almost disappeared around the side of the house by the time he had spoken. Furious at being left behind Riku made his way along the side of the tree-line, watching the mansion for any signs of movement. He cut across the open and into another line of trees going towards the front of the house, pushing aside leaves and splashing through puddles. He had been dragged into this unwillingly, he wanted to see who it was that was after him this time…and if the others were alright. Riku didn't know if he could trust them, but so far everyone had helped him and tried to keep him safe. The past few hours seemed like a dream. Stars blinking between scattered blue-gray clouds above him, the human could see in the light shining down from the night sky that there was indeed a battle of epic proportions waging at the front of the house. It looked like a few of the hunters had snuck inside, a vampire running back inside after a disappearing figure, Riku stepping out of the woods just enough for him to follow their movements.

"Roxas, over here!"

Riku started, turning around to see a boy around his age a few yards from him, sapphire eyes gleaming under messy brown spikes. A blonde boy with amazing crystal-blue eyes ran over to the brunette, looking over and noticing Riku for the first time. The second boy, the one the brunette had called Roxas, arched his eyebrows and said, "You shouldn't be here! It's too dangerous…" He turned to the boy at his side, "Sora, stay with him, I'll go get the others."

Sora nodded, the blonde boy running off, sapphire eyes catching blue-green and a smile plastered across his face. "It's good that we found you before you got involved in all of this, do you live in Old Town or something?"

_They don't know who I am_… Riku realized, the panic searing through his mind dying abruptly and relief washing over him. They were hunters, but they weren't with Gippal and they weren't after him. They must have been attacking the mansion over what had happened with Sephiroth and Cid; they were merely fighting the vampires. When Riku looked back towards _Haven_ again several figures were running from the front doors and into the forest, two branching off from the rest and coming back to Sora and Riku. "This is the kid?" The man who had spoken was looking down at Roxas questioningly, his red hair and blue head-band contrasting starkly with his green eyes.

The blonde boy nodded, "Vincent said for us to take him back to Old Town, we don't need outsiders finding out about this or trying to get involved. He's going to stay and help the others, Tifa too…"

"Wait," Riku interjected, not sure how to get out of going with them without revealing he was supposed to be here in the first place, "I don't live in Old Town."

Cocking his head to the side, the tall, tanned red-head man asked, "You're from New Town and you managed to wander all the way out here?"

"Well it's obvious, Wakka," the blonde scoffed as if it were obvious, the man looking down at the younger boy, "They're vampires, they have to eat."

Cold chill racing down his spine at Roxas' cold words and angry tone, Riku's eyes darted between the three humans. What could he do? He couldn't tell them just to leave him here now, not when they were thinking he was a midnight snack. With no one with him who could do anything to fight back Riku resigned to wait for the right time and get away from the hunters whenever he could and somehow make his way back. Then again, it was night and the woods were like a labyrinth. _Seph what should I do_…

Deciding it would be alright for now, figuring that as soon as Yuffie or one of the others noticed he was missing they would come find him, Riku resigned not to say anything and act like he didn't know what was going on. It was kind of nice not having to worry about the other humans trying to killing him for the moment, eyes moving from one unfamiliar face to another. There were so many people involved in all of this. Clenching his fist, he suddenly realized how weak he was. These humans could fight against vampires, yet he couldn't do anything other than let the vampires protect him and wait to see if Gippal and his team would come to kill him. He hated it; he felt so helpless. He wanted to be stronger; he wanted to be able to fight…like Sephiroth had…

Grabbing his wrist lightly, Roxas pulled Riku to him, the two boys searching one another's eyes. "We can talk when we're away from here, let's go someplace safe."

Sora and Wakka nodded, watching carefully for any pursuers or threats in much the same way the vampires had when leading him to _Haven_. The blonde pulled the white-haired boy along gently until he resolved to follow after the hunter on his own, walking back through the woods in the general direction of the city. He thought fleetingly as he left the tree line he caught a glimpse of Cloud walking out of the mansion, azure eyes burning red as he searched the woods for Riku.

* * *

Kuku, angry Cloud is yummy! I really love Paine; she's going to be one of my favorite characters in this I can already tell. I've mixed a LOT of Final Fantasy characters into this fic, and there are lots more to come. Some will only be in a scene or two, and others will follow Riku through the entirety of his adventure. Who will it be? Hmm…

Yes this is a yaoi. I haven't made it clear (after all he said they had been best friends) but there is definitely going to be Cloud/Sephiroth and probably Zack mixed in… I know that's gonna be rather weird with Seph being dead and all, but a boy can remember things can't he? Riku gets teased a lot by Axel, but this is not going to be the main couple. Riku/Roxas is the main couple, and perhaps, a bit of Cloud/Riku as well.

This is going to be so much fun! I know nothing had really happened so far, but now that most of the main plot charries are in place the real depth of the story can begin. There are so many things in my head I can't wait to put down into writing. I hope you will read and review!

Thanks so much for your support!

-Myou


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